Greek Cypriot held over for trial in the north

By Tahsin Eroglu

Greek Cypriot Pavlos Pavlikkas, 69, who was arrested in the north earlier this month is being held over for trial in connection with a jewellery robbery in Famagusta in October.

Pavlikkas had been charged with breaking and entering,  theft and malicious damage. He will go in tria withing the next two months.

The suspect’s lawyer Öner Şerfoğlu asked to be excused from the trial citing an argument he had with one of Pavlikkas’ relatives while he was explaining the bail system.

Şerifoğlu said: “I decide how to represent my clients. As a professional requirement and out of principal, I explained the guarantors what the consequences of the bail/guarantees will be. It was not found suitable by his family members. We fell into disagreement”.

The jugde gave permission to Serifoğlu to quit the case and gave time to the suspect to find another lawyer, which was done within hald an hour.

During the case, police said that four other suspects involved in the robbery were in the south. He repeated that Pavlikkas had voluntarely confessed.

Pavlikkas was arrested at the Turkish Cypriot checkpoint at Ayios Dhometios checkpoint while trying to cross north on December 16. Turkish Cypriot authorities say Pavlikkas along with three other men, entered by drilling a hole on the store’s wall. They then broke into two safes, getting away with around €40,000 worth of valuables. The robbery took place on the weekend of October 22 and 24. It had been recorded by the store’s security cameras.

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